Mountains and giant beasts, cabins in the woods

the next day.

Liu Xingmo slept until very late, his head was still spinning, and he was a little hungover.

He went to the woodshed, found some dried orange peel and hawthorn flesh, cut a little of each, and put them in a pot to cook.

Soon, the sweet and sour aroma filled the kitchen.

He poured out the fruit tea and sipped it slowly. The strong smell of alcohol on his body dissipated considerably, and his head wasn't so dizzy anymore.

I got really drunk yesterday, I don't even remember how I got home.

He searched the room and found his backpack. Luckily, nothing was missing.

The black cat, which had been sleeping among the firewood by the stove, smelled something and crawled out, shaking its pliers.

"You're pretty clever! Come here, there's something good."

Liu Xingmo took out a leaf roll from his bag. After unwrapping it, he found black insect eggs wrapped in white silk threads inside. A faint scent of blood lingered on it.

These are all eggs laid by insects that have transformed into wondrous beasts. However, after a while, their vital energy dissipates, and what hatches are just ordinary insects.

Liu Xingmo picked up a tiny insect egg, about the size of a fingertip, and fed it to Qinghei.

After swallowing the insect eggs, the old scorpion happily swung its tail, its sharp, venomous stinger gleaming coldly in the stove fire.

Liu Xingmo calmed Qinghei down, then reached out and stroked its smooth, cold carapace, infusing it with his own blood energy and guiding the blood energy of the insect eggs to circulate in the energy channels between the gaps in the carapace.

Soon, blood filled its pincers, eight legs, and venomous tail, and the scorpion became restless, conveying its hunting desire to its master.

"Don't rush, you'll be free to run around as much as you want when spring comes. For now, focus on your training, and I'm looking forward to the day you transform."

Qinghei understood its master's refusal and could only disappointedly dig through the withered branches and leaves to hide among them.

It is still just an ordinary life form now, and before long, its life force will dissipate and disappear without a trace.

It combines with the faint soul of its master's soul imprint and must constantly sense the circulation of blood energy. When it can independently control its blood energy and cultivate autonomously, it will have shed its ordinary nature and entered the ranks of wondrous beasts.

Whether it succeeds or not depends on fate; no one can be sure. But a sufficient supply of resources will ultimately increase the probability.

Liu Xingmo fed the three rhinoceros beetles to their hearts' content, then took a bucket of dried fish and went to visit Bao Hei at the door.

The old turtle, dressed in a deerskin vest, lay on the road, gazing at the scattered lights on the opposite cliff.

"Dinner's ready!"

Liu Xingmo pulled out a dried fish about the thickness of a calf and tossed it to Bao Hei. The nimble turtle head stretched and retracted, then swallowed the dried fish in one gulp.

Bao Hei has accumulated a lot of luck these days. This luck naturally circulates along the patterns on the tortoise shell, gradually forming a simple energy vein.

Through labor and training, the side effects of its rapid growth gradually subsided. Its cultivation level stabilized at the second tier, first level, while the blood cultivation level bestowed upon it by its master reached the first tier, third level.

Thanks to its talent, its strength grows smoothly, and it won't encounter any difficulties until at least the third tier.

Liu Xingmo was in a very good mood.

As long as you get through this winter, your future will be bright.

With the help of miraculous medicines, the current cultivation speed is already extremely fast, and the focus is now on consolidating the foundation.

Next year, income will increase significantly, and resources will not be scarce. By the end of next year, we should be able to reach the first-stage perfection level.

The biggest challenge, which is probably the same for most people, lies in cultivating Blood Path Beasts. Significant investment in Qinghei is necessary.

For some reason, after Baohei finished eating the dried fish in silence, it picked up its owner's sleeve, as if it had something to say.

However, it can only convey some scattered thoughts.

Red clothes, black smoke...

As always, it's baffling.

Bao Hei simply grabbed Liu Xingmo, turned around and left, stopping after a few steps.

This is in front of Liu San Niang's house. She's not home right now, but the lights are still on in her restaurant.

Liu Xingmo asked, "Bao Hei, do you mean there's something wrong with Liu San Niang's family?"

Bao Hei nodded, then shook his head.

Liu Xingmo was confused, but didn't want to give up.

He went home and got a wire and a newly made spirit stone lamp. He opened the window of Liu San Niang's bedroom and then turned on the light to shine inside.

The house was quite simple. There was a stone bed with a thin quilt, and a bookshelf with a row of books.

These books were all thick and looked brand new, indicating they hadn't been read many times. The spines didn't have titles, but Liu Xingmo recognized them immediately—they were collections of his own novels, typeset, printed, and sold by his own hand.

Hmm~ I don't see anything wrong with it. I just didn't expect that Liu San Niang, who is illiterate, would collect books.

suddenly!

"What are you looking at? Is it interesting?" A soft female voice sounded behind Liu Xingmo.

Liu Xingmo turned his head stiffly and saw his wife's pale face.

In such situations, one must not panic, and even less should one make up excuses.

"Mary! Bao Hei feels there's something wrong with Liu San Niang's house, so I came to check it out."

"Oh? Really? So what did you discover?"

"Uh, there are no leads yet. Let me look some more..."

"Okay, I believe you," Su Mali said readily.

"That's great! I knew you were a sensible woman." Liu Xingmo breathed a sigh of relief.

"However, my dear husband, there's one more question I need you to explain," Sumali continued expressionlessly, "Last night? Why were you with that woman?"

"Huh?" Liu Xingmo stammered, completely baffled. "I can't remember..."

"Ah..." Su Mali sighed. "I understand, Xingmo. You should drink less alcohol in the future, and especially remember, you can't get drunk outside."

"I know, I know. Hehe!" Liu Xingmo closed the room window, preparing to coax his wife home.

Su Mali suddenly remembered something: "Oh right, you said last night that Liu San Niang was going to be in big trouble, even in mortal danger. What did you mean by that?"

"Huh? Did I say that?"

"Indeed."

"Was he just drunk and talking nonsense... or did I actually sense something at the time...?"

"As long as it doesn't involve my family, I don't care." Su Mali turned and walked towards her own home.

"Implicated? Wait a minute!" Liu Xingmo exclaimed in surprise and uncertainty. "I'm going to ride Bao Hei out for a spin today to check everyone's fortunes. If everyone is destined for bloodshed, then a great calamity is about to befall us, and we need to run away immediately!"

The more I think about it, the more frightened I become.

Liu Xingmo jumped onto the turtle's back and started running on the road.

Bao Hei expands its unique perception to explore the unknown secrets of the world.

Intangible and intangible luck surrounds every living being.

Every kind of luck has its own unique flavor; upon closer examination, some are big, some small, some good, some bad, some new, some old...

Liu Xingmo shared this unique perception through the soul imprint.

Thankfully, the people in the mine are doing well. It seems there won't be any major earthquake to destroy this mountain town.

After leaving the mine, we drove around the main road and found that the people in West Town were all fine.

Liu Xingmo finally breathed a sigh of relief.

I thought there was some natural disaster or man-made calamity, but it seems it's nothing more than that.

Riding the old turtle home, I passed by stone houses on the cliff.

I made a point of passing by Liu San Niang's newly opened restaurant and taking a look inside.

Huh, what's going on?